Ball bearing



' Patented Oct- 11, 1927- 'UNl-TED, STATES BERNARD oxiviin, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

N 1,645,345 PATENT OFFICE.

BALL BEARING.

Continuation 'in' part of application Serial No. 547,879, filed March 29, 1922. This application led i December 9, 1926.

This invention relates to anti-friction bearings, and more particularly pertains to new and useful improvements in ball bearings and the like.

The principal objects and advantages Which characterize this invention reside in: the provision of an improvedbearing which by the employment of one speciesof antifrition element aEords a bearing which withstands both radial and end thrust; the provision of an improved disposition of the anti-friction elements in a bearing of the character referred to; the provision of an improved arrangement of the anti-friction elements wherein pressure is'equally dis-V tributed uponA all of the anti-friction ellements for preventing uneven wearing, dis'- alinement, or tilting of the parts of the bearing; the provision of an improved construction of bearing wherein the anti-friction elementsare all disposed in the same general plane with respect to a single bearing surface to insure even distribution of pressure, both radial and endwise, on all the anti-friction elements; the provision of a bearinfr of the vvcharacter referred to wherein the p ane of the" axes of the bearing elements isdisposed at an inclination to the axis about which the bearing elements revolve; the provision of a device of the character .described wherein the structure is simplified and cost of production reduced, and wherein assembly of the parts may be quickly and easily accomplished.

This invention takes a mechanical form to be described later, wherein -the use .of balls for anti-friction purposes is permitted, one of the moreY important objects and features of this invention being to permit the use of balls. rather than rollers, for two reasons, first: the rollers cost more, and, secondly, in a bearing adapted to take up end thrust as well as radial pressure, the rollers must be manufactured a special shape, usually tapering, which further adds to the cost, without in fact, giving entire eiciency operation. Therefore, I have provided an improved arrangement of the bearing races whereby efficient results are attained by the use of ordinary steel balls. The arrangement is such that the balls, there being at least two series of same, are disposed in a bearing wherein the cone and cup are provided with spaced bearing surfaces which are at an inclination tothe axis of the bearing, the pair of series Serial No. 153,572.

of balls being .disposed between and in equal .contact withsaid surfaces, thereby preventing detrimental twisting of the anti-friction elements, .such as does occur where rollers are used. 4

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or be pointed out as this description roceeds, are attained in the embodiment il ustrated in vthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view thru a bearing embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the bearing shown in Figure v1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of'bearing.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, 5 isa bearing cone,.said cone having an axial opening 6 to permit the fixed mounting of the cone on a shaft (not shown). The .outer ,peripheral surface 7 of the cone 5 is disposed at an inclination to the axis of the cone, and said surfacel is provided with two spaced circumferential depressions 9 and 10, said depressions being of equal depth and conforming in cross-section to the arc of a circle, or, in other wordsyxof such curvature that they forni raceways and accurately seat the antifriction elements,such as two spaced circumferential series of balls 11 and 12. The balls of .each series are maintained in spaced relation by a circular ball carrying frame 13, which, as shown, serves to support and equally space the balls of both series, and also to lretain the balls when removed from the cone. It will be seen that the frame 13 is of generally conical shape, so that the axes of the alined balls of each series are in the same general plane and that this plane, indicated by the line 14, is parallel with the plane in which the peripheral surface?" of the cone 5 lies. Thus, the respective anti-friction units of each set all tcontact equally with the raceways 9 and 10. This arrangement provides two circumferential series of individual anti-friction elements in which the complemental elements of each series are ar- Y .ranged with their axes in the same longi'. tudnal plane. It follows that these anti-v friction elements cannot become unevenly worn, because the pressure is equally dis- 7 tributed on all of the elements, and itl-will also be observed that these elements take the ""1 m' place of rollers. Furthermore, the conical arran ement provides for end thrust as well as radial thrust. It is obvious that, even though there is a slight angular displacement of the cup and cone, the balls will always assume even contact on both the cup spherical surface, the balls contactingA diwill be located on radial lines 21-21,

rectly therewith. However, as this surface 19 is described about a point 20, it will be obvious that the oints of contact of the balls 11 and 12 with the surfaces 7 and 19 assing through the centers of the balls. The axes of rotation of the individual balls, therefore, will be at right angles to the lines 21 which connect the contact of the balls and 25 races with the center of the surface 19. At

the same time, however, it will be seen that a line connecting corresponding balls of the two series will be parallel to the surface 7 of the cone 5, as indicatedxat 14 in Figure 2.

Thus the even distribution of pressure is a am afforded, giving to the bearing greater e cienc and increased durability.

It wi l likewise be seen that the diametrical planes of both ball sets 11 and. 12 lie on chords across the spherical curvature 19 of the cup member 18, and that both chords are to the same side of center 20 thereof.

The same principle is involved in the form of the invention shown in Figure 3 in which the disposition of the balls 11 and 12 with relation to the cone 5 and cup 18 is substantially identical to the embodiment hereinabove described. Iprovide, however, a ball carr ing `frame 13 comprising independent retainers 22 and 23 to ide the series of balls 11 and 12 respectively, the4 said ball retainers being slightlyspaced from each other. By tlns arrangement, the retainers run inde endentlyT of each other to accommodate or the slight difference of peripheral speeds attained by the ballsof each series, and thus any friction that might occur between the balls of the series running at the greater peripheral speed and the contacting surfaces of a single ball cage or frame is eliminated. Y

In the device of this invention,` as presented in either form, the load is equally friction element must move is taken care of by separate elements and these elem-ents'being spherical furthermore prevent friction due to different speeds. It is obvious that in this device the balls will all revolve at close to th-e same speed, and thus wearis evenly distributed. The bearing also takes up end thrust by the use of balls, due to the inclination of the bearing surfaces.

The present application is a continuation in part of an application iiled by me under date of March 29, 1922, and bearing Serial Number 547,879, entitled Ball bearings.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the efliciency of operation of the anti-friction bearing is increased, its cost is reduced, without sacrificing strength and durability, and while a specific structural arrangement has been shown, I reserve the right to.mod ify the same within the, limits prescribed by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a self-aligning ball bearing, the combination of an inner bearing member and an outerbearing member, said inner bearing member being of-conical form and having two spaced annular grooves formed therein, a large diameter ball-set in one of said grooves, a small diameter ball-set in the other of said grooves, a ball carrying ',-frame spacing both series of balls, and a spherical surface in said outer bearing member on which both of said ball-sets rol each of said ball-sets having radial and thrust load carrying contact with said spherical-surface, said spherical surface being struck from a center disposed outwardly of the diametrical plane of said large ball-set in. the direction of the larger end of the inner conical bearing -member and in the axis of rotation of the bearing whereby each of saidball-sets will maintain its -combined radial and thrust load carrying charaeteristics when said bearing members are angularly displaced.

2. In a self-aligning ball bearing, the combination of a one-piece inner bearing member .of conical-form, a one piece outer bearing member, said inner bearing member having two spaced annular grooves formed therein, a large diameter ball-set in one groove, a small diameter ball-set in the other groove, and a spherical bearing surface in said one-piece outer bearing on which both -of said ball-sets roll, said spherical bearing surface being inscribed from a center located laterally of the diametrical Aplanes of the ball sets in the direction of the neaaaaa ameter ball-set in one groove, a small diameter ball-setv in the other` groove, and a spherical bearing surface in said outer bearin member on which both of said ball sets rol, said spherical bearing surface being inscribed from a center disposed out of the diametrical plane of said large ball-set near the larger end of the inner cone member.

4. ln a self-aligning ball bearing, the combination of an inner cone bearing member, an outer bearing member, one o' said bearing membershaving two spaced annu.

lar grooves formed therein, the other of said bearing members having a spherical bearing surface throughout its depth, and two ball-sets of different ldiameters engagingin said grooves and rolling on said spherical bearing surface, a ball carrying frame spacv ing both series of balls, the diametrical planes of both ball-sets lying on chords across the spherical curvature of said bearing member, and bot-h chords to the same side of the center, each of saigd ball-sets con tacting with portions of said spherical bearing-surface at points whereby each ball-set will carry radial and thrust loaqds, said large ball-set carrying themajor portion of the radial load and said small ball-set carrying the major ortion of the thrust load.

5. In a sel -aligning ball bearing, the combinationy of an inner bearing member, an outer bearing member, a pair of spaced an-l nular grooves in one of said bearing members, the other of said bearing members liaV-y ing a spherical bearing surface, and two separate ball sets in said ,grooves and rolling on said spherical surface, the diametrical planesof both ball-sets lying on chords across the spherical curvature of said bearing member, and both chords to the same side of the center.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature at 10 South LaSalle St.,Chieago, Illinois.

BERNARD OKNER. 

